Crimson Desert Launches to Mixed Reviews as Players Universally Slam Its Controls

Crimson Desert, the highly anticipated open-world action RPG from Pearl Abyss (makers of Black Desert Online), has launched to deeply divided reception. Within its first 12 hours, the game hit a peak of 240,000 concurrent PC players and racked up over 13,000 Steam reviews — but only 60% of them are positive, landing squarely in "Mixed" territory.

Critical and Player Consensus

The game sits at a 78 on Metacritic across 98 reviews, though that score is skewed by several questionable perfect 10s. The investor reaction was even less forgiving — Pearl Abyss stock prices dropped despite the respectable Metacritic score, signaling that even a 78 was not enough to satisfy market expectations.

Steam reviews paint a chaotic picture. Many positive reviews are actually written as revenge against game critics ("IGN sucks" reads one in its entirety), while negative reviews sometimes stem from unrelated grudges. However, one theme unites virtually every review regardless of score: the controls are terrible.

The Control Problem

Players across the board describe the controls as "shockingly bad," "clunky," and in one memorable take, "designed by some creature that doesn't have hands." The game throws numerous complex systems at the player in rapid succession and maps them awkwardly to both keyboard and controller layouts.

Pearl Abyss's PR director Will Powers responded on X by comparing the learning curve to riding a bike — "it comes naturally after you learn it, just takes a minute" — a somewhat ironic use of the analogy, given that learning to ride a bike typically involves repeatedly falling over and getting hurt before you can wobble along.

First Patch Already Live

The first patch (v1.00.02) has already rolled out for PC, with the PlayStation version following in a staggered deployment. Notable fixes include a new tutorial quest for a system introduced in Chapter 3 and, critically, the removal of a bear's instant-kill damage. However, the patch makes no mention of control improvements.

Our Take

Crimson Desert is shaping up to be 2026's most polarizing game. The visual spectacle and ambition are undeniable — 240K concurrent players on day one is no small feat — but Pearl Abyss has a serious problem if both critics and fans are universally calling out the controls. The PR response dismissing concerns as a "learning curve" is tone-deaf. Pearl Abyss needs to acknowledge the issue directly and commit to meaningful control improvements, or risk watching that 240K player count evaporate quickly.

Key Takeaways

• Crimson Desert peaked at 240,000 concurrent PC players but holds only 60% positive Steam reviews
• Metacritic score sits at 78, but Pearl Abyss stock dropped anyway
• Controls are universally criticized by both positive and negative reviewers
• Pearl Abyss's PR response comparing the learning curve to "riding a bike" was poorly received
• First patch is live but does not address control complaints
• The PlayStation version is rolling out in a staggered two-part deployment